Texas Lilies (The Devil's Horn Ranch Series) by Samantha Christy

Author:Samantha Christy [Christy, Samantha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-11-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-three

Aaron

“Devyn?”

She doesn’t answer.

It’s been hours since she stalked off. I’m relieved to see her door open, but it’s not Devyn in her room. It’s Lora, and she looks like the cat who ate the canary. “What are you doing here?” I ask.

She picks up a new pillow sham Devyn was embroidering. “Admiring her handiwork. I was considering asking her to do something for me.”

I take the sham from her, put it down, and motion to the door. “We really shouldn’t be in her private space.”

“It’s your lodge, Aaron.”

“But this is her room.”

Her phone rings. “I need to take this. I’m done here anyway. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Her voice trails down the hall as she leaves.

I glance around the room. Everything looks the same as we left it this morning. I open the drawer Devyn stuffed her notebook into. It’s still there, along with the money.

I sit on her bed and call her again. She doesn’t answer. Where the hell could she have gone?

Noise in the kitchen has me jumping off the bed and racing out. It’s Joe with the food delivery for the upcoming weekend.

“I can see from your expression you were expectin’ someone else,” he says. “Sorry to disappoint you. Picked up the food myself today. How about you help an old man unload?”

When I get bags from his truck, I glance in all directions, hoping for a sign of her.

Joe puts the meat in the refrigerator. “You kids really takin’ to each other, aren’t you?”

I hand him a huge package of bacon. “I don’t know. I guess.”

He shoves it into the fridge and laughs from deep in his belly. “You ain’t foolin’ no one.” He looks at the steaks in my hand. “Seems they put in a few extras. How about I make supper for you and your lady?”

“I’m not sure she’ll be here.”

“Lovers’ quarrel?”

“I’m not sure what’s going on with her.”

He points to a chair. “Sit. I’ll make you tea, then I’ll cook up this extra beef. If Missy comes home, I’ll stick a candle on the table and go on my way. If she don’t, I’ll be your supper companion.”

“Thanks, Joe. That sounds good. You know her name is Devyn, right? How come you keep calling her Missy?”

More laughter. “When you’re old like me, sometimes rememberin’ stuff ain’t as easy as it used to be. Makes things easier. Since I’ve got one foot in the grave, most of ’em let me get away with it.”

“You’re not that old, Joe. You have a lot of years left in you.”

“I may not be dyin’ today, but this here body has taken a lot over the years.”

My attention goes to his eye patch. “Are you ever going to tell me how it happened?”

He works over the stove and eventually puts down two dinner plates, looks outside—for Devyn, I presume—then sits opposite me and takes his flask from his pocket. He offers it to me. I shake my head.

“You ever gonna tell me why a young’un like you don’t like drinkin’?”

I take a bite of steak.

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